God will never forgive my teachers!

‘Sola Fagorusi

God will never forgive my teachers who taught me that the word ‘artiste’ refers to a female artist. Today, I had to pay hugely for arguing blindly with friends…. Crying, not for how much I spent, but for the shame….

– Emeka Nwosu E.

When around 10pm yesterday, I chanced on Emeka’s status post on Facebook, I called a friend, read out the status and we shared a decent laugh while trying to imagine what exactly may have happened in Emeka’s case. My friend was magnanimous enough to also share similar errors. Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is dead but living enchantingly is his expression and 1986 track – Teacher don’t teach me nonsense. As for Emeka, it was apparent his teachers whom he poured vituperations on had taught him rubbish!

My generation is one of the last that witnessed a sane post-primary public educational system. Sane here is used comparatively. The public education system had its last fall around the year 2000 and it has since not been helped back on its feet 13 years after. This week’s news from the desk of Professor Dibu Ojerinde, the man who calls the shot from the Suleja Road, Bwari Head Office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board is enough to rouse any sincere government into a day or two of unfathomable mourning.

Nothing, in my judgement is worse than one seeing his or her future being frittered away under preventable circumstances. It’s like a father watching all his children pouched skilfully by death. But this is debatably the case with Nigeria. There is a fast decent of the educational system into a calamity of catholic dimension and the major stakeholder – government, seems disconcerted.

The Professor of Test and Measurement and former Registrar of National Examination Council, NECO had informed all in summary that about 1.6 million people applied for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination with only 10 scoring above 300 marks out of the possible 400 and about 127,000 scored less than 200 marks. The last West African Examination Council organised General Certificate Examination, GCE is no different with only about 38% obtaining credit in 5 subjects, Mathematics and English inclusive.

Whoever says we are sitting on a keg of gun power may not be telling us the truth. The real situation is that we have a fully loaded and properly serviced gun on our heads with our hands fidgety on the trigger. What kind of nation pays lips service to education, if not one ready to sell its future for a pot of porridge? The effect of the Universal Basic Education remains to be seen despite the billions pumped into it.

It’s instructive that the generation of leaders we have today are all products of the public school system. The biographies, autobiographies and memoirs of the Odimegwu Ojukwus, Ayo Rosijis, Nuhu Ribadus, Chinua Achebes, Ajibola Iges and Akinwande Soyinkas are replete with accounts of how rich the public education system was. School then was a melting pot for different cultures and ideas. Back in my secondary school days, I cannot remember knowing that my classmates were from different parts of the country or that one’s father was richer or poorer than the other. There was no social caste in the learning process. Sadly, the better part of the period I reference was under military leadership.

The massive failure we currently witness in national examination would be child’s play if this is not arrested with deeply pragmatic measures. I recall the quality of teachers that were available then. My biology teacher, Wole Oniyide of blessed memory stood out. He taught us beyond biology. He taught us how to live. I remember my dedicated and elderly chemistry teacher, Mrs Maduka and one of my English teachers, Mr. Biodun – the one we call ‘Paddin’ Scallywag and Nincompoop as those were his words on erring students. Deaconess Adebule, T.O, our no nonsense principal is not one you forget in a hurry.

Education, the sound type is the only hope the child of the poor man has to a good life. It’s the least the government can give all. The current system where teachers in public school are those who have tried every other option but failed and opted for teaching will take us nowhere. A system where teachers are poorly remunerated and paid late is not in the interest of the students.

A society that cares less about school infrastructure and welfare of students but is ready to build mansions and feed annually with a billion naira would never likely have a bright future. A society where quality education is now available almost only in private schools and expensive ones at that is not ready to be called a developed country. One look at the curriculum, teachings and methods of some private schools and you will know the interest is solely money making.

While observing the compulsory National Youth Service Corps programme in a government establishment in the North; in company of a friend, I administered a private home tutorial service and our method was to recruit other capable corps members on request for our clientele. I recall an instance. We had coached a student for the General Certificate Examination. She saw the result and could not interpret all. She promptly sent me a text. ‘Sir, I have seen my result, what is B? This was about 9 years after the examination body had reviewed A2 and A3 grades to B2 and B3 respectively. I wondered at her method of preparation without a grade in mind.

I also noticed that parents were only interested in results. The process counted for nothing for them. Once school session was over, we were out of business. That parents conspire to help their children pass examinations dishonourably brings tears to the eyes. The drudgery of everyday living and the materialism fad has made it almost impossible for parents to be around to complement teachers’ effort. Let me not attempt a review of the educational system in the North here where corps members in some places become principals and vice principals and most students in secondary classes cannot communicate in the basest English form.

Unfortunately again, we live in the ICT age where television no longer resumes at 4pm but is a 24 hours affair. Video games and all forms of distractions are available to compete with the student’s time as well. We seem done for and it would be a miracle if at this pace, we do not record only one student scoring above 300 in subsequent JAMB examinations.

Education was lovely in the late 90’s. I have heard more astounding testimony of those who witnessed the landscape much earlier. There were also a thousand and one competitions to aspire to. The Bournvita Brain Match convened by Cadbury was one of such and a number of us cut our teeth in oratory there, not to forget the Close-up Essay Writing competition then. There were also the after school lessons, some free, some affordable and it allowed students from different schools meet and size up ourselves. You became an impromptu if you stood out in the mock exams, students of Adams Tutorial can bear me witness! Those from the legendary Sir K’s tutorial in Bariga axis for students from as far as Akoka would also agree. Today, the priorities have changed.

The multinationals would rather sponsor show-biz related programmes as their Corporate Social Responsibility. I guess they are following the body language of the government. Let it be said that no nation becomes developed by entertainment. They are secondary matters. The few educational ones available have been yanked off air. Where’s the Zain Africa Challenge again? No one to ‘port’ it? There is practically nothing for our young people to look up to except entertainment in form of music and football! It’s 12:56 am on Wednesday morning and as I cross the t’s and dot the i’s of this article, the television is muted and the National Television Authority is busy showing a quiz competition for post primary school students. I wonder who the target audience is!

Let’s not forget that out of this population failing UTME today would emerge teachers of tomorrow, perhaps, the Emekas of the future would hunt and charge their teachers to court if this Tsunami continues to hit on our educational system.

@SolaFagro on Twitter.